Staff at a north-east superjail have taken more sick days for anxiety, stress and depression than at any other prison in Scotland.
Peterhead’s £150million HMP Grampian has been hit by a string of controversies since it opened in Spring 2014.
Damage to cells and communal areas caused by inmates has left the taxpayer with a £145,000 repair bill, while dozens of young offenders were transferred to the central belt following a riot last year.
Now, new figures have revealed that since 2013 the number of “days lost” by prison wardens and staff absent as a result of anxiety, stress or depression amounts to more than six years of work.
A total of 2,283 sick days have been taken by the team at the South Road facility – more than at any of the country’s 12 other jails.
Last night, senior north-east politicians raised concerns about the “inevitable stress” caused by working with offenders.
North-east MSP Alison McInnes, justice spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrat’s, said: “The prison service has a duty of care to its staff to ensure that the symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress are kept to a minimum.
“Given the environment, it is no doubt inevitable that there will be stressful times as the prisoners have no wish to be without their liberty.”
Ms McInnes called for “every effort” to be made to ensure staff are trained and supported so they can “concentrate on rehabilitating inmates” for them to return to society to make a positive contribution.
Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson said the figures were “concerning”.
He said: “I am scheduled to meet with the governor of HMP Grampian in the near future, and will raise the matter in our discussions.”
Since September 1, 2013 a total of 16,658 work days have been “lost” to stress, anxiety and depression across Scotland – 14% of them in Peterhead.
Last night a Scottish Prison Service (SPS) spokeswoman explained that although HMP Grampian officially opened in March last year, staff were based at the site from 2013 onwards for training and administration. Absences from those shifts are included in the new figures.
She said: “SPS employs over 4,500 personnel. The SPS greatly values the health and well being of our staff and we support all our staff through any absence from work.
“Where an individual is absent due to depression, stress or anxiety there is an immediate referral to our occupational health advisors.”
She added that all SPS employees have access to an in-house counselling service.